An Arrangement
by 1 way ticket
Summary: Zuko recalls the events of his wedding night as he watches his young bride who plays nearby.
1. The Morning After

Zuko watched his young bride from his bed chamber balcony. She sat beside the garden pond feeding turtle ducks who dared to swim close to the edge. The sun shone upon her soft crème colored skin. She wore a simple but elegant dress of her new country's color. Zuko thought that it complimented her well.

She probably considered him a frigid coward after last night. That he knew. It wasn't because he didn't want to take his wife, or that he thought himself incapable, it was only because she had seemed so afraid, so breakable, and the persona was enough to unnerve the boldest of men.

Aola dipped her slender fingers into the water and swayed them lazily about. Zuko recalled the events of the past night as he witnessed her innocent playfulness.

Zuko had been waiting beside his large, room centered bed when she entered the chamber. Her robe was just barely thick enough to hide the details of her body, yet it revealed the outline of her delicate curves. Her long, wavy black hair fell just past her navel. She was truly a beautiful sight. She slowly approached Zuko, her face to the ground. She stopped but a few feet before him. Zuko lifted her head with a few fingers beneath her chin. Her large hazel eyes met his amber ones. She attempted a smile but her eyes once again dropped to the floor, and she sat at the edge of "their" bed, preparing herself for her duty.

Zuko thought he should say something to ease the growing tension. "You..." he faltered, "You are very beautiful" he said awkwardly, ashamed at his obvious anxiety.

Without moving, she answered in a small, honey-like voice, "Thank you Milord"

The use of his title was both encouraging and disconcerting, for she was now his wife, and they were alone after all. "You need not address me as such" Zuko said after a moment.

This time Aola faced him, raising an eyebrow in question. He continued, "At least, not when yours is my only company"

She nodded slightly and then surprised him by holding out her hand to him. It was a sure invitation, and it was what Zuko had needed in-light of the current awkwardness. He took her hand and climbed onto the bed, laying her down as he did. Despite her prior boldness, she began to breathe a bit deeper in fear as Zuko tenderly kissed his bride's porcelain face.

He eventually moved to her mouth, his kisses becoming exceedingly eager with each passing moment. The more time went by, the faster Aola's discomfort became clear. Her heavy breathing had turned to trembling. Zuko's audacity started to dwindled and ended all together when at last she turned her head as he tried to kiss her.

The entire scenario seemed wrong to him. He felt as though he were raping this girl, not fulfilling his duty to her. Zuko breathed as his heart slowed in his chest.

Aola was frozen under her husband's body. Her eyes were wide in fear. One glance at his wife's countenance rendered Zuko bereft of all former gull. He rolled over and slid beneath the sheets of his bed.

The young woman began to sit up, starring in wonder at her husband as she did. Zuko turned over, hiding his face from her. He felt stupid, and utterly pitiful. But he could not go through with the consummation. Her fear of him was unnerving to say the least. After a few moments, he heard Aola climb under the sheets next to him. With a wave of his hand, the room went dark.

Zuko shook his head at the memory. After a while, Aola looked up from the pond's shining water at Zuko. When she saw him, she cast her eyes back down in surprise. How long had he been watching her? When she gathered the courage to return her gaze to the balcony, Zuko was gone.


	2. Advice

The rest of the week went by slowly. Had it not been Zuko's honey moon week, the young Fire Lord would undoubtedly have been busy at every moment. Though Zuko still had many duties to tend to, all of which he preferred to the one considered by the court to be most important.

Needless to say, Aola and Zuko had done little more than sleep at night. In fact, they had said nearly nothing to each other since their wedding night. Aola made herself scarce when Zuko was not directly accompanying her to a meal, or to bed. The seven days of the honey moon were drawing to an end. In light of this, the Fire-Lord had made up his mind that today he would carry on as informal of a conversation as propriety would allow with his wife.

It was the 5th day of the celebration. As was customary, a hog monkey was to be served for the evening meal. The wedding planner had laughed uncontrollably when Zuko had asked him to make arrangements for the young couple to eat together in the privacy of the garden veranda.

"Alone eh?" the plump man chuckled, looking at his note scrolls, "I think that could be arranged"

It was lucky for the planner that he did not press any further hints as to his suspicions of the royal lord and ladies' future activities. Zuko was in no mood to be vexed. Besides, the young man was sure that his uncle was the only one who could get away with such mockery whenever he pleased.

"Alone eh? I think that can be arranged." Laughed Iroh. The hefty old man clapped a hand on Zuko's shoulder. The Lord was not at all amused.

"Why so solemn Lord Zuko" Asked the retired general, "It is the week of your wedding. Your spirits should be high. I know mine would be if I had just been married to a lady as beautiful as the new Fire Lady."

Zuko cringed at the mention of Aola. Despite the fact that his uncle would undoubtedly mock him for this, Zuko knew no other whom which he could confide in pertaining to such matters. "Uncle, the reason I'm breaking tradition and eating alone with the Fire Lady is not because we are getting on well, but because we are not."

Iroh raised an amused eyebrow at this, "Do you mean in or out of bed Nephew?"

Only a couple of years ago Zuko would have lashed out in anger at Iroh for getting so much enjoyment out of his own discomfort. But time had changed the Fire Lord into a much more controlled and perhaps mature young man. "Both" was his simple reply. Zuko turned away from Iroh, leaning on the one of the many palace balcony railings.

"Give it time Lord Zuko. You never were comfortable around young ladies. And Aola has recently left her home and everything she knows behind in the Earth Kingdom. I am certain that in time, you will grow fond of each other. Patience is the key."

Zuko sighed in exasperation. Though he had grown remarkably wiser since he was known as the Banished Prince, he was still not known for his patience. He brought a hand to his face, fingering his scar, "She's afraid of me uncle, I can feel it."

"When you were needed most, you helped the Avatar fulfill his destiny. Your bride knows this. I doubt that if she fears you, it has anything to do with being of the Fire Nation.'

"I am not so certain. And why shouldn't she be afraid? Has the Fire Nation ever given her any reason not to fear me?" Zuko said angrily, his skin warming up.

Iroh touched his Nephew's shoulder comfortingly. Zuko heaved a sigh, growing calmer as he did. He went on quietly, "Do you remember when I used to raid all those villages, setting fire to people's homes, running over any children who got in my rhino's way? Just to capture the Avatar."

Zuko resumed leaning on the banister, starring down the plunging drop below, "I can't help but think, it could easily have been her that had gotten in my way like so many others had. How could I have been so blind to how I was affecting innocent people?"

"You are not the same man you were back then Lord Zuko" Iroh said softly. "What's passed has passed. If your new wife is ever to see you for the man you are today, you must leave behind the boy you were."

Zuko silently thought this over. His Uncle always seemed to have all the answers. He turned back toward the aged man, bowing in the Fire Nation style "Thank you Uncle. Not just for the advice, but for being a father to me all these years."

Iroh scratched at his grey beard and chuckled lightly, "The endearment is appreciated Nephew."

Zuko smiled before turning to leave. Aola would be waiting for him in his Mother's garden soon.


	3. Progress

Aola sat upon her knees at the table that had been prepared for her and her husband under the garden veranda. It was a late spring day and the weather was perfect. Aola was thankful that the dinner was held in the garden. It had become her favorite place in the palace and it put her at ease. She would need it for the hour to come.

Zuko entered the courtyard quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself. His failed miserably. The Fire Lady snapped her head toward him the moment he came into view. Only after the young man nodded at her did he remember his promise to be as informal as possible.

"Good ev... Hello" He blurted out stupidly, _"If this is how the rest of the night is going to go, just kill me now"_ he thought to himself.

Aola nodded her head respectfully. Zuko sighed under his breath and sat down at the floor level table, "I requested that we eat alone tonight for the sake of learning a bit more about each other. Our wedding week is almost over and I won't have much time for words after that" Aola nodded again, and instantly returned her gaze to her lap. Zuko was at a loss, how could he make her open up a bit?

After a while of quiet, the food was brought out by servants. Aola waited patiently for permission to eat. It was then that Zuko had an idea, "How about we take turns asking questions about each other"

Aola looked up questioningly. "It doesn't need to be anything deep, just enough to... break the ice?" Zuko swore at himself in his mind, _"_"_Break the ice? What the hell was that?"_

To his surprise however, Aola spoke very softly, "Very well, what is your first question?"

It wasn't until Aola asked, "Milord?" that Zuko was able to snap himself out of his own amazement. It had been the longest sentence had said to him yet, and he noticed with delight that her voice was as beautiful as her appearance.

Zuko cleared his throat and spoke quickly, trying to regain the appearance of knowing what he was doing, "Are you a bender?"

"No Milord, I am not" She said, still not touching the food that had been set before them.

"I see" The Fire Lord said, picking up a fork and taking a slice of hog monkey for himself. he noticed quite soon that she had not moved, "Are you not eating?"

The young woman looked at the food and selected what seemed edible to her. She had eaten little since she had arrived on the island nation. All of their "delicacies" were served with hot spices and sauces which made it difficult for her to swallow.

Zuko watched the way she moved, taking in every hint she let slip about the kind of woman she was. Unfortunately for him, she let very little of herself show.

"Do you have a question for me?" He asked hopefully. Aola thought for a moment while Zuko held his breath.

"May I ask how old you are Milord?"

Zuko sighed with relief, "I turned eighteen with the tree blossoms this year."

Aola smiled at the thought of the cheery tree blossoms. She remembered that the trees had been full of blossoms the day she left her homeland.

"Has something amused you?" Zuko asked, taking a bite of roast.

Aola stopped smiling immediately, "No Milord"

Zuko tensed with frustration, "I told you that you don't have to call me that when we are alone."

"Forgive me" She answered softly.

"There is nothing to forgive... Aola" Zuko suddenly under stood how difficult it must have been for his bride to call him by his name, for he himself found it difficult to call her Aola. He wasn't sure why, but he eventually contributed it to the fact that addressing each other so informally suggested a degree of intimacy that they did not feel toward each other._"Not yet anyway" _Zuko secretly hoped.

The next half an hour went by in silence. The sun was beginning to set and its reflection shone across the pond's waters creating a brilliantly beautiful effect. The young Fire lord cursed himself for not keeping the conversation going.

A small servant girl entered the garden to retrieve their plates. She bore the general fire nation black hair and amber eyes. After bowing to the ground, she hastily hobbled to the table. The child knew better than to look the Fire Lord in the eye, yet she daringly risked not a glance, but a mischievous grin at the Fire Lady.

Aola smiled back, "Thank you Kika." The servant girl giggled innocently as she walked away, skillfully balancing the gold trays on her tiny arms.

Zuko's curiosity had been struck, "You know that child?"

Aola nodded, "I have seen her several times since I have been here. She is a sweet girl"

"I could tell" The young man said, making a mental note of the girl's face. "I have another question. How old are you?"

"Seventeen years" She answered.

_"Why wont she look me in the eye?" _He wondered in bafflement.

"It must have been difficult to leave your home at such a young age" Zuko suggested. Aola turned her head toward the pond, though Zuko knew she was not really looking at anything in particular.

"It was my duty" she said almost to herself.

"I hope that in time... you won't see me that way" Zuko said softly.

It was in that moment when Aola looked her husband in the eyes for the first time, and she was startled to find in them, not the evil and viciousness she had anticipated, but true sincerity.

Though they finished the meal quietly, Zuko was not without hope for his mairrage's future, and all it had taken was a glance from her entrancing eyes.


End file.
